Industrial scars: aerial photographs of pollution by J Henry Fair

Phospho-gypsum fertiliser waste. Effluents from fertiliser production are pumped into this ‘gyp stack’ in in Geismar, Louisiana. The solid gypsum is scooped out by excavators before it hardens and is spread on the ‘impoundment’ to build it up and allow for higher capacity. This waste is gypsum, sulphuric acid and an assortment of heavy metals, including uranium and radium.